PHYSICS PROBLEM SOLVING

(^) With these new statement codes in mind, I recoded, and rediagrammed the 14
groups’ 112 episodes. Compared to Table 3-18 (page 111), Group 4B’s episode takes on
a new form with this revised schema, as illustrated in Table 3-21 (p. 116). Likewise the
flowchart of this episode (Figure 3-6, page 117) better reveals the connections between
the Modified Claims, Alternate Claims, and the original claims compared to the original
flowchart, Figure 3-4 (page 112). The dotted lines helped me to visualize who was
making the additional claims in response to the group member who made the original
claim.
Statement Type Definition Verbal Cues
Challenge (Ch) A challenge occurs when a group member requests proof for a statement or
disagrees with a statement. A new claim usually follows a Challenge.
"No." "I don't think that's right,"
“Umm, no.” “No it ain't.”
Alternate Claim (AC) An Modified Claim and presents a Alternate Claim follows a Claim or a
contradictory idea to the initial claim. Either an explicit Challenge precedes an
Alternate Claim, or a challenge is implicit within the Alternate Claim.
Alternate Claims are sometimes stated as a question..
"Perhaps we should consider..." "On the other hand..."
“I think it’s...” “No, it should be...”
“Or maybe...” “Well, wait...”
Modified Claim (MC) A Alternate Claim. A Modified Claim Modified Claim follows a Claim or an
offers an additional, non-contradictory idea(s) to the initial claim. The Modified
Claim serves to clarify, extend or elaborate upon the initial claim. A
Modified Claim is usually stated in a less “confrontational” manner than an
Alternate Claim.
“Yeah... right?” “Well, it's...”
“Well, if you... “Ok and then....”
Table 3-20. Modified and Alternate Claim Categories.